title: Predictors of better self-care in patients with heart failure after six months of follow-up home visits.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the predictors of better self-care behavior in patients with heart failure (HF) in a home visiting program. This is a longitudinal study nested in a randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN01213862) in which the home-based educational intervention consisted of a six-month followup that included four home visits by a nurse, interspersed with four telephone calls. The self-care score was measured at baseline and at six months using the Brazilian version of the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviour Scale. The associations included eight variables: age, sex, schooling, having received the intervention, social support, income, comorbidities, and symptom severity. A simple linear regression model was developed using significant variables (P ≤ 0.20), followed by a multivariate model to determine the predictors of better self-care. One hundred eighty-eight patients completed the study. A better self-care behavior was associated with patients who received intervention (P < 0.001), had more years of schooling (P = 0.016), and had more comorbidities (P = 0.008). Having received the intervention (P < 0.001) and having a greater number of comorbidities (P = 0.038) were predictors of better self-care. In the multivariate regression model, being in the intervention group and having more comorbidities were a predictor of better self-care.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Heart Failure Clinic, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil ; Cardiology Institute of Rio Grande Sul, Cardiology Fundation, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Melina Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Trojahn
authors.forename: Karen Brasil
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Ruschel
authors.forename: Emiliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nogueira de Souza
authors.forename: Cláudia Motta
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mussi
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Naomi Hirakata
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nogueira Mello Lopes
authors.forename: Eneida Rejane
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Rabelo-Silva